In a time where it seems that it takes multiple years to produce a single season of television, it is quite refreshing that Amazon Prime’s Fallout is already back with season 2 after only a little over a year. The first season of the series absolutely blew me away, especially due to the fact that video game adaptations are typically handled very well. However, Fallout had such a mixed bag of grit, violence, gore, and zaniness that it all molded together into what I regard as one of the best video game adaptations. So, without further ado, let’s get into my review for the season 2 premiere of Fallout – okie dokie? 

Season 2 swiftly puts us right back into the world of Fallout as we are given a flashback to before the bombs dropped. Some men are watching TV in a bar, baffled by the fact that Robert House (Justin Theroux), CEO of RobCo, has won an election. In the corner, a mysterious man delivers a great line to the men: “Every dollar spent is a vote cast.” The men start a fight with him and are led outside the bar where things take a turn for the worse. This opening scene does a great job at establishing the new villain of the season without giving too much away. We also get a glimpse at the nefarious mind-control device that RobCo is working on that will clearly play a pivotal role in the season. 

After the brief flashback, we are taken to where season one left off, the Ghoul and Lucy hunting down her father, Hank MacClean. Hank has found his way to Las Vegas, which is the headquarters of Vault-Tec, as well as where we are to assume Robert House is located, as he is the villain of Fallout: New Vegas. After my praise for him in The Lowdown, Kyle Maclachlin again proves why he is such a great villain. Although he doesn’t have too much to say in the premiere, he’s just got that face that comes off as fatherly, but is clearly untrustworthy. I am excited to see where his story leads as the rest of the season unfolds. 

As for Lucy (Ella Purnell) and the Ghoul (Walton Goggins), their dynamic is further fleshed out throughout their pursuit for Hank. The dichotomy between the two pairs well with the western feel of the show. Their reintroduction into season 2 comes when Lucy pulls an audible on her and the Ghoul’s original breakout plan by refusing to kill anyone. This leads into a great question for the viewer to think about – Who’s way is ultimately the correct way? Lucy, who believes in talking things out and has a refusal to kill, or the Ghoul, who thinks that talking is a waste of time and would rather go in guns blazing. It will be interesting to see how these ways of thinking are revisited as the season goes on.  

We also get a few scenes featuring Norm (Moisès Aires), who is trapped in Vault 31 with Bud. If you remember from last season, Norm played a pivotal role in uncovering the secrets of Vault-Tec, especially with regard to Vaults 31,32, and 33. His character is one that I was instantly drawn to as the unlikely hero archetype is one of my favorites. I am curious to see how his character continues to develop throughout the season, and I am ready for more of Vault-Tec’s no-good doings to be brought to light. 

Notably absent from the premiere is Maximus (Aaron Moten). We last see Maximus in the finale of season one getting promoted to Knight of the Brotherhood of Steel – as it is assumed that he is the one that killed Moldaver. Maximus is featured in the trailer for season 2, so he will definitely be in the show at some point, but I was just a little surprised that he didn’t even have a single scene.